Friday, July 11, 2014

STUART HAMBLIN

Stuart Hamblin was a popular singer, songwriter, actor and radio personality from the 1930s through the 1950s. Billy Graham came to Los Angeles in 1949 for what became an historic evangelistic crusade arranged by Youth for Christ. Graham's appearance on Hamblin’s radio show was arranged as part of the publicity for the crusade. Although Hamblin was known for his hard living and drinking, he warmly welcomed Graham as a guest. It was at that interview that Graham extended an invitation to Hamblin to attend the crusade and he accepted. Hamblin later contacted Graham at his hotel and asked to talk. The result was that he "surrendered his life to Christ." Hamblin’s became the first publicized conversion from the 1949 crusade and contributed to the decision to extend the event, which lasted for 8 weeks.It was on a street in Hollywood that Hamblin later ran into actor John Wayne, who asked him about the rumor around town that he'd changed his ways. Hamblin told Wayne that it was no secret what God had done for him and that he could do it for Wayne too. Wayne said it sounded like a song and suggested he write one. The result was one of Hamblin’s best known tunes; It Is No Secret What God Can Do (sung by Jim Reeves too). It was a crossover song that is regarded as the first to have been #1 in the gospel, country, and pop categories. (truthorfiction.com)2Ti 2:21 (ESV) says: “Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.”